Thursday, August 12, 2004
Kodak Unveils Easy Ways to Capture and Share This Summer's Family Reunions

Family reunions are an important part of American society with more than 200,000 taking place every year and more reunions in August than any other month of the year, according to MyFamily.com.

Today, Eastman Kodak Company reveals simple, new ways to integrate photography into this summer's family reunions with KODAK Plus Digital products to help friends and family stay connected with pictures.

"Taking pictures is an important part of family reunions because it enables people to preserve and share their memories," said Mike Clay, Capture General Manager, Eastman Kodak Company. "With KODAK Plus Digital film and one-time-use cameras, we are making it even easier for consumers to share their memories through traditional pictures and digital images for e-mail."

Planning A Family Reunion

Empowering consumers to share their unique family stories is important when it comes to planning a successful family reunion. To make this summer's family reunions a success, Kodak worked with MyFamily.com to identify the following tips:

-- Remember The Time - Sit around in a group and have family members recount memorable or funny stories of the family's history.

-- Keep Them Busy - Plan fun events for the entire family. Select activities where a large number of people can participate such as a family talent show, scavenger hunt, tug of war and/or family trivia.

-- Capture Memorable Moments - Make sure that everyone is equipped to capture key moments before, during and after the reunion. Create ample opportunities for picture taking by gathering friends and family together for a special group shot to commemorate the special event. KODAK Plus Digital film and one-time-use cameras make it easy to capture and share these memories by providing digital pictures on a KODAK Picture CD as well as their traditional prints for those without a computer. A complete group shot or one of the immediate family picture serves as a perfect holiday greeting card.

-- Present Special Family Awards - Hold an awards ceremony in which family members are recognized for special achievements or honors. For example, awards can be given to the oldest and youngest family members, the family members who traveled the greatest distances to attend and the couple with the most children or grandchildren. Certificates and trophies can be given as an award.

-- Stay in Touch - Use photographs to chronicle the family reunion. Taking pictures with KODAK Plus Digital allows families to share memories with traditional prints and digital images. Consumers can easily upload their digital images to Ofoto to create a personalized Photo Book. The Photo Books, with exclusive page designs and a die cut cover, are ideal for celebrating memories and family reunions. In addition, families can create a family Web site to stay in touch long after the reunion is over. MyFamily.com provides an avenue for families to connect via e-mail and chat sessions. Family newsletters are also an excellent way to keep the family involved until the next reunion.

"MyFamily.com has given millions of people the ability to keep in touch with friends and family since 1999," said Craig Sherman, chief operating officer, MyFamily.com. "We have heard consistently from our users that sharing photos is one of the best ways to relive family memories and stay connected even when miles apart."

KODAK Plus Digital Products Makes Capturing and Sharing Easy

The desire to share images easily with friends and family is notably one of the top benefits of digital photography. KODAK Plus Digital film and one-time-use cameras provide an easy and inexpensive way to get digital pictures without a digital camera. With KODAK Plus Digital film and one-time-use cameras, families now have a solution for making summer gatherings even more memorable.

Once the film is developed using KODAK PERFECT TOUCH processing, consumers will receive high-quality traditional photos and digital images on a KODAK Picture CD - perfect for sharing with family and friends. Consumers can then upload those images to Ofoto to create online albums or personalized Photo Books - high-quality, hardbound books that feature people's personalized photographs and captions.

Suggested retail price for KODAK Plus Digital one-time-use cameras range from $9.99-$14.99 (which includes the cost of the KODAK Picture CD). KODAK Plus Digital film ranges from $5.99 for a single roll and $9.99 for a two-pack, and includes the cost of the KODAK Picture CD. KODAK Plus Digital products are available at retailers of KODAK products nationwide.